Android Wear v2.6 is here with some worthwhile quality of life upgrades

Google’s Android 8.1 Oreo software has been dominating the news lately, leaving Android Wear on the sidelines. Google is now deploying the latest version of Android Wear, v2.6, however, and while it doesn’t offer much in the way of bold new features, the interface upgrades it does deliver are smart ones.

The update, spotted by Android Police, is rolling out in Google Play now and introduces a new “recent app” complication so that you can quickly return to your last used app, as well as a download indicator to show how much time is remaining before downloads are completed.

Further, there are new connection status indications in the quick settings menu, which will show your current connection status for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and cell network.

Google has also added a “dynamic text size” feature, which automatically adjusts the size of the text displayed on-screen depending on how many words are there. It sounds like a good idea, though Android Police notes that you might not even notice the feature.

Rounding out the improvements is a useful upgrade with regards to the physical interaction of Android Wear watches. Google has tweaked the side-swipe and long-press gestures so that it’s less likely that the interface will register them by accident — something which could be a great annoyance.

All of these are worthwhile additions, so much so that I can scarcely believe they’re only now being implemented. Still, better late than never; hit the button below to find the latest Android Wear version over at the Google Play Store.